In Bloom
by SoundGeare
Summary: A story about two children. Set two years after Innosense so LInk and Malon are now thirteen.
1. Chapter 1

Link walked across the field with Malon, his sword and shield hanging in their customary spot. They bounced up and down as he walked, clacking together occasionally. With a happy grin on his face, he explained to her all about the kokiri and the forest he had come from. He told her enthusiastically about Saria and his other friends, and less enthusiastically about Mido. As he said the kid's name, Link stuck his tongue out and made a raspberry in the air. Malon laughed at that, and then he laughed too, after he had wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. Whenever Link looked over at Malon, he saw giggling or grinning. This was going to be great, he hadn't been back to the forest for a while, and he was bringing a friend too! Link wondered if Malon would like Saria, or the other way around. Link hoped they did. Just then they reached the crest of one of the rolling green hills Link caught sight of the forest for the first time since leaving the ranch. The trees stood tall and welcoming, just as he had remembered them. A path opened up between two of the larger oaks, leading off toward the kokiri village. Link laughed out loud from excitement and took off toward the forest, calling to Malon to follow him and waving her on with one hand.

* * *

Malon ran after Link, eating up ground in her pursuit of the boy. He was nearing the edge of the forest, and she didn't want to get left behind. She was feeling nervous already, between coming to meet his friends and going into the woods that were the source of many a ghost story. However, as long as she was with Link she felt safe. Luckily, she managed to catch up with the boy before he disappeared into the woods. They walked once under the canopy of branches. The air seemed very still there, much quieter than the outside world. There was an eerie feeling in the air that Link didn't seem to notice. The scary atmosphere just bounced off of the green clad boy. He strode ahead confidently with a broad grin on his face. Malon tried to copy the grin but it just felt thin over her inner nervousness. The woods were scary, but so long as Link was here they would be tolerable. She glanced down for a moment, just once, and wished that she was more courageous. Not as courageous as Link, facing the woods without fear. She would never be like that, but if only she was brave enough to grab his hand. That would make everything all better. She just knew that all of her fear would melt away if she could do that, but she also knew that she was way too cowardly to do that. It annoyed her, but at least Link was here. Being with him and being cowardly was better than being without him or just plain being cowardly.


	2. Chapter 2

The forest around them teemed with life, buzzing and screaming with the sounds of tiny animals and the bugs that lived inside plants. Grasshoppers jumped every so often, climbing into the air and skittering through it for a moment before falling back down and hiding among the grass or leaves. Bees buzzed in the air, meandering on their way from flower to flower. A bird sat perched on a tree branch, chirping ecstatically in the gentle breeze and the gentle sun. Only a corner of Link's mind actually paid attention to these things, and thus he easily missed out on dozens upon dozens of other examples. Another corner of his was focused on walking, leading the pair of them along the right path and to the Kokiri village. The rest of his consciousness was entirely centered on watching Malon from the corner of his eye.

* * *

Saria was crouched behind one of the wooden huts when Link appeared beside her. "What's going on?" he asked, grinning. Saria nearly jumped out of her skin, and she just managed to get by without making a sound. "We're playing hide-and-go-seek, do you and, uh…" she trailed off looking at the other girl. "Malon," Link supplied. "Oh, do you and Malon want to play?" Link looked to Malon who nodded. "Sounds cool," Link said, "How long until this game's over?" Saria shrugged. Suddenly Mido burst around the corner and shouted, "Hey! Haha! I found you! Games over! Oh hi Link," he finished, walking away before even noticing Malon. "I guess it's over now," Saria said with a laugh, "Let's go start the next game." The three of them left the cover of the hut and ran after Mido. They converged in a huddle with the rest of the children. There was a lot of talking among them, and laughing too. Then suddenly a few of them were arguing about who would be _IT_ next. Finally Saria just offered to do it. With that taken care of, they all ran off in different directions. "One… two… three…" Saria began.

* * *

"Seventeen… eighteen… nineteen…" Saria said, her voice quiet in the distance. Malon still managed to hear it through the trees, though, and it was a cause of great stress for the little girl. "Twenty!" she announced, "Ready or not, here I come!" Malon ran through the trees, on the verge of panic. She didn't know her way around the forest, and she didn't know her way around the village. Where was she going to hide? She had to find a place. Somewhere off to her left she saw someone moving, shifting a little in their hiding spot then becoming still once more. Malon moaned as she ran, heading farther out among the trees in hope of finding a good spot. She didn't want to get caught. She did _not_ want to get caught! Malon kept running, heading in the opposite direction of any sound she heard. She needed to find a place to hide and she needed to find it soon, but all of these trees looked the same and none of them offered a place to hide. Unless she could somehow climb one of them… but no. Link was good at that type of thing, but not her. And she was wearing a dress too. "Ugh," Malon moaned, her frustration building. _What was she going to do!?_

* * *

I hope you're still liking this. This installment is going to be six chapters long so we're 1/3 of the way through. I'm going to be doing two updates per week on this story, posting saturday and tuesday nights. If I can keep that up this'll all be taking place in the next couple of weeks so hold on and don't forget to read/review.


	3. Chapter 3

Link sat in the dark, cramped and contorted to fit in the hollow beneath an upturned wheelbarrow. The wooden walls were thick and he couldn't hear very well. Every so often a scream penetrated the walls, but not much else. If he craned his neck in a painful way he could see through a crack in the wood. He did that now, peering through the gap for one uncomfortable moment. Even as he looked upon the flat green surface of Saria's skirt, the wheelbarrow was flipped over. Link sat there in a twisted pile, blinking in the sudden sunlight. "Haha! Gotcha!" Saria exclaimed, grinning. "Ha ha," Link groaned sarcastically, untangling himself with great care. One of his arms was numb. "Oh don't be a sore loser," Saria said, "Anyway, you made it almost all the way to the end." Link fell out flat on the ground and lay there breathing, trying to work the feeling back into his limbs. "Oh really? Who's left?" "Umm, actually it's just Malon now." Link chuckled, picking himself up slowly, "Guess she picked a good place." Suddenly there was worry in Saria's voice, "Well… about that. I kinda… uh… saw her… go into the woods." Link froze. "Are you sure? Which way?" Saria pointed and Link took off in that direction. Mido, who had been lounging against a fencepost, asked, "Hey Link, where're ya' goin?" Saria shouted something just a moment after Link responded. "Saria saw Malon go into the woods. I'm gonna go see if she's okay." As Link left the village he heard Mido announce with obviously false surprise, "Whaaat!? Saria was… cheeeaating?" It wasn't until he was farther into the woods that he realized what Saria had shouted. _Link no!_

* * *

Malon had stopped running a long time ago. She'd stopped running around the third time she passed the tree with two and a half lizards drawn in white chalk on the trunk. The third lizard was actually half lizard half eagle, but that didn't really matter in Malon's opinion. What mattered to her was the fact that she'd passed the tree _three_ _times_. That shouldn't have been possible, but she had. She was obviously lost, but some part of her head refused to let the rest of her believe that. She wasn't lost, she couldn't be lost. She was in the woods. She couldn't get lost in the woods. Bad things happened to kids who got lost in the woods. Her dad had told her about that. Monsters and ghosts and skeletons and wolves and bats and… something howled in the distance. Malon jumped at the sound and found herself glancing back and forth in a near panic. She hadn't noticed how dark it was getting. Oh Goddesses it was getting dark! She was lost in the woods and it was getting dark. And something had howled. Malon thought she might cry. She wasn't a little girl anymore, but she could still feel the fearful tears about to well up in the corners of her eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

Malon walked cautiously through the ever darkening woods. The trees were starting to become threatening presence, their great silhouetted fingers reaching out over her. When she looked past the trees, it terrified Malon to realize how perfectly similar everything looked. It all looked the same, the same in every direction. Her footsteps hardly made any noise as she walked; it was all soaked up by the loamy dirt and soft grass. That missing noise made it easier for her to hear other things around her. The crickets chirping, the owls hooting in the trees. The wolves howling in the distance… Every time she heard one of those, Malon found herself imagining that it was closer than the time before. She wanted to laugh at herself, but a not so small part of her thought it was true. Knew it was true. She was lost in the woods and it was getting dark. She was all alone, but not for long.

* * *

Link examined the grass, trying his very hardest to follow Malon's trail. He'd been out of the forest for a long time now, and it was reflected in his waning skill. However, she wasn't very subtle, so he had managed to follow her so far. It seemed that he was getting close, and that was a good thing because he didn't know how much more sunlight there would be. With a sudden stroke of luck, Link caught a flash of movement in the corner of his eye. Turning, he found himself face to face with Malon. She was staring at her feet and walking slowly, hands hanging at her sides. Link sighed and called out to her, "Hey Malon!" She jumped then looked up at him, the panic in her eyes turning to relief at the sight of him. "Link, am I glad to see you!" she cried out, "Do you know the way back?" Link laughed, "Yeah, come on, let's go." Link turned around and began to head back toward the village. The woods _were_ confusing, but he knew them like the back of his hand. Link led her straight back toward the village, making only on detour to show her is _Liz-Eagle_ picture. She was unimpressed. Link determined that she just didn't appreciate art, or cool things. Sometime after that, Link suddenly noticed just how dark the sky was getting. He told Malon that. "So? Can't you just take us back to the village?" she asked, a little desperation in her voice. Link shook his head, "It's too late, won't make it all the way there before full dark. If we keep moving after then we'll probably just get lost." "So what do you want to do? Stay out here all night?" Link nodded. "What!?" Malon exclaimed, "Are you crazy? There are wolves and things!" All Link did was grin and tap the sword sticking over his shoulder before heading off in search of a place to sleep.

* * *

Malon followed Link in his hunt. He went searching all over the place, finding the strangest option in his pursuit. One of the first things he did was climb into a nearby tree. Malon watched him disappear into the leafy sea, then he popped back out a minute later. "Can you climb up here?" Malon shook her head and he dropped out. He didn't climb down, he just let go and fell to the ground. Link somehow managed to right himself before hitting the ground and he landed on his hands and feet in a crouch. After that he found a stand of shrubs, a hole, and a tree with wide roots and a hollow beneath it. In the end he decided upon the last one. Coming upon the empty root structure, Link turned to Malon and said, "I wonder if there's some kind of animal den down there…" he shrugged and grinned wildly, "Only one way to find out." Suddenly Link dove down beneath the tree and crawled into the darkness inside. Malon stood outside, watching the entrance worriedly. What if there _was_ something down there. What if it hurt him? What if… Link's head popped out of the opening and he grinned, "The hole is fine, come on in?" Laughing at his own joke, Link disappeared again, leaving Malon to follow him down into the scary dark unknown. Feeling more than a little guilty about probably ruining her dress, Malon got down on her hands and knees and crawled into the pitch black hole.


	5. Chapter 5

Malon lay with her eyes closed, feeling the cool morning air wash over her face. Malon could feel the briskness of it it on her hands and shins. The rest of her was warm though. Somehow this hole in the ground had managed to become comfortable. She wasn't sure how though, or when. Malon remembered falling asleep in the cold, slightly damp pit. She'd fallen asleep in the end though, and she'd slept restfully. However, Malon still felt like she could do with a few more minutes of sleep. The cold air clawed at her exposed fingers and Malon pulled them closer to her body in an attempt to warm them. As she did this, Malon noticed something new. There seemed to be a pressure on top of her shoulder. Wondering what it could be, Malon opened one of her eyes a crack and saw an arm hanging out across her own. One dirty hand was visible, hanging limp in the air.

* * *

Link was sleeping fitfully until something moved beneath him. It wasn't a large movement, but his time spent sleeping in fields and dungeons had left him a tremendously light sleeper. The slight bit of motion was as good as a cuckoo's crow. He lay there disoriented from his sleep. For a long time, Link couldn't tell which way was up. Finally he determined that and was on to the next question. What was this _thing_ beneath him? It was warm, and that meant it was probably alive, which was unsettling. As his senses came to him, Link was able to feel hair in his face, pressed against his closed eyes and into his slightly cracked mouth. Laying there, Link tried to figure out what it was. He'd fallen asleep in the forest, so maybe it was a squirrel or something. But that was too small. A hundred squirrels? No. A badger maybe. He _had_ climbed into the hollow beneath a tree, which could have easily been a badger den. A badger wouldn't have just curled up with Link if he had intruded upon its den. Then suddenly Link realized what, or _who,_ was underneath him. _Malon!_

* * *

Malon was staring at the hand when suddenly it was jerked back and out of view. There was something behind her, moving quickly and sporadically. Someone was calling out in that direction too, a cry of surprise. That cry was what shot panic into Malon's half sleeping mind. She tried to climb to her feet but remembered to late where she was. Malon, clutching her sore skull, clambered forward toward the only exit in sight. As she neared the light, Malon found herself struggling against something else in her flight. Malon managed to squeeze past it and was thus spat out into the morning light. She heard the thing come up a moment later and she turned around to look at it. Malon found herself staring at a dirty and bedraggled version of Link. He was looking at her too, and then suddenly he blushed and looked away. That blush put everything together for Malon and she found herself blushing and looking away as well. Thinking about it all, Malon found her cheeks burning even hotter. She'd been sleeping like that… with Link and… she wanted to die!

* * *

The two of them walked through the woods, not even daring to look at each other. Link was pretending to be intent on the road ahead of them while Malon gazed off into the trees to their right. Link couldn't stop thinking about the moment he figured out the truth. He'd had his arm around Malon and he'd been sleeping like that with her for Goddesses knew how long. The idea was enough to make him blush all over again. Finally he stopped and turned to Malon. "I…" he began, feeling his throat constrict at the sight of her, "I'm sorry about… well, that." She just stood there looking at him for a minute, before saying in a small voice, "You don't have to… apologize. It was warm and I… I don't think I'd have… slept otherwise. I… I guess I liked it." Link stared at her, astonished. She'd… liked it!? "Does that mean…" Link began, before swallowing to clear his suddenly dry throat, "Does that mean that you… you like… me?" Malon looked at him, dazed. She was just staring at him, unmoving, with slightly colored cheeks. Then she said sheepishly, "Yes…"

* * *

The question had taken her by surprise. Malon didn't think she'd be able to sleep as she stared into Link's probing blue eyes. Her lips were dry and she didn't know if she could speak. And if you she could speak, then what would she say. Malon couldn't believe it as she heard herself talking. "Yes…" It was just one word but Malon wanted to scream. What if he didn't like her!? What if he didn't like her!? She'd look like such an idiot. However, even as she roared within, Link stared at her with a frozen, startled expression. She heard herself speaking again, "What about… do you?" Link continued to stare, then his mouth started to move. "I… uh… I kinda… I guess I…" He stopped and took a deep breath, then spat out the remaining words on that one bout of breath, "I-think-I-kinda-sorta-really-like-you-Malon…" It all came out in a rush, but Malon managed to decipher the important bit. He did! He liked her back! Malon was shocked, and stunned, and scared, and happy, and so full of so many other emotions that she couldn't even begin to count them all. They stood there then, just staring at each other because they didn't know what else to say. After a while they started to walk again. Then, suddenly, something closed around Malon's hand. She looked down and saw Link's hand holding hers. She looked from the linked hands up to Link's nervous face and smiled.


	6. Chapter 6

Saria watched as the rest of the kokiri played a game. It was complex, involving deku nuts, piles of leaves, and half a dozen intersecting lines drawn in the dirt. It looked like a lot of fun, and she would have been playing if she wasn't so worried. Malon had disappeared yesterday, and Link had gone out looking for her. However, they hadn't come back last night. No one had seen either of them for a long time and Saria was starting to worry. It wasn't like Link to get lost in the woods, so something must have gone wrong. Suddenly she saw something moving deep in the trees and she looked closer. To her delight, the movement turned out to be Link and Malon. They were walking out of the woods, staying close together as they moved. However, as Saria observed, she noticed that they were holding hands. Why were they holding hands?

* * *

Malon was smiling as she left the canopy of trees. The sun was shining down into theclearing that housed the kokiri village. The children were all running around in one group, except for Saria who was running up to them. "Hey everyone!" Saria shouted, "Link and Malon are back!" Suddenly the children stopped milling about and ran over to them. Within a minute they were enveloped in a crowd of the green clad children. Questions flew out of them in a storm. Chief among them was "Why are you two holding hands?"Link began to answer the questions as excitedly as they were posed, except for that one. He just ignored it. However, the mention of it drew Malon's mind back to that fact. Link liked her, and he was holding her hand. Just the thought made her feel warm inside, until she remembered that it was a fact. He _was_ holding her hand. Malon didn't do much talking during the whole tirade. The most she did to answer was "Yeah" or "Uh-huh". She was too far away, focused on Link instead of the kokiri. After a while the questions ceased and they were leaving the village. Link said goodbye and Malon actually managed to as well. They headed out away from the village, still holding hands.

* * *

Link walked beneath the leafy green canopy, watching where he was walking as much as he did Malon. He couldn't believe that she like him too! Link was unbelievably aware of her hand in his and of her proximity. She was walking right next to him, _right_ _next to him_. He was grinning like a madman. Link thought that he might explode. Suddenly they left the forest and were walking out into the field. Link took in the deep green sea of grass and the stark blue sky. Wispy white clouds floated lazily across the sky, occasionally joined by the faraway shapes of soaring birds. There was a fresh smell in the air, as if it had just rained. The sun peaked past the flocks of clouds and poured warm sunlight out over everything. It felt fantastic on Link's skin. However, none of this could possibly make him happier than the girl walking beside him with her hand in his.

* * *

And this concludes part two of my non-tragic series. Hope you enjoyed this little bit of sunshine as much as I did.

Now back into the doom&gloom for a couple months. Take a deep breath :)


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